“We mustn’t let ’em. We can mosey around after dark.”
“Then we’re going to stay here all night?”
“I don’t see what else to do. We could hardly get back to camp until very late, anyhow, and we’ve got our blankets and some grub. It won’t be cold in here.”
“That’s right! It’ll be fun!” exclaimed Chot.
“And we don’t want to go back and tell Uncle Tod what we’ve found until we can tell him everything,” went on Rick, who liked to be thorough and complete in his work or play.
“That’s so,” agreed his chum. “Maybe, after all, we’re up the wrong tree and these men didn’t change the river.”
“Oh, I think they did—or somebody in with ’em,” said Rick. “But I’d like to find the dam—or whatever it is—and then we can tell Uncle Tod and let him do what he thinks best.”
“I guess you’re right,” assented Chot. “Well, what’ll we do first, Rick?”
“Well, let’s just stay here and we can see what the men do. Maybe we can hear what they say.”
Ruddy had quieted down, now that he saw his boy chums had no present intentions of engaging in anything that needed his canine wit, and was stretched out on the floor of the cave, making up some of the sleep he evidently thought he had lost. Rick and Chot remained just inside the opening of the tunnel—the opening through which it was evident Lost River had flowed at no very distant date.